Criminal Police Perceptions of the Internet-Delivered Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Prevention Program Prevent It 2.0 in Germany, Portugal, and Sweden

Secondary prevention targeting individuals at risk of offending presents a promising strategy to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, yet programs remain scarce and help-seeking individuals face various barriers. In response, internet-delivered programs such as Prevent It 2.0, an anonymous cognitive behavioral therapy intervention, are being developed. Effective recruitment could benefit from collaboration with the criminal police as referrers. This study examined the perceptions of German, Portuguese, and Swedish criminal police officers regarding Prevent It 2.0 and their potential role in recruitment. Using a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) framework to inform data generation, reflexive thematic analysis of six focus groups revealed the program’s perceived potential and limitations. Officers highlighted it as an accessible, low-threshold, and anonymous option, expressing their willingness to refer individuals and indicating a potential for integrated, interdisciplinary prevention strategies. Participants also emphasized the need for continued program refinement and sensitivity to sociocultural influences. Recommendations for implementation and recruitment are discussed.